Top 100 Influencers in Social Media

30. Jessica Northey- Digital cowgirl Northey knows a thing or two about how to get a job done. Founding digital consulting group Finger Candy Media, she is Nashville’s go-to lady for branding country music stars in a consumer-driven, social world. Northey offers tips and tricks from her blog and consistently cracks into those slightly annoying ‘Top Lists’ (oh, wait…). She is one lady to reckon with if you’re in dire straits and need of a social media facelift.

29. Chris Pirillo- How do you categorize a tech geek-turned-blogger-turned-author-turned-TV show host-turned-media personality that is a self-promoting genius? We’ll put him right here under media influencers, where Pirillo shines. Previously with TechTV (now G4), he’s been among the most subscribed-to YouTubers offering the latest looks at technology in a quirky yet relevant way and big name sponsors like Microsoft and PayPal have longed placed their ads front and center on his channel. A frequent guest on CNN, Pirillo isn’t for the Internet novices, but his intimate knowledge of the tech sector makes him a must-watch for industry vets, developers, geeks and aficionados.

28. Carri Bugbee- An acclaimed social media expert and frequent guest speaker, Bugbee may be best known for her Twitter-adaptation of Peggy Olson, the determined ladder-climber at Sterling Cooper in AMC’s Mad Men series. Tweeting (anonymously) as Olson, Bugbee won thousands of followers and support for Olson’s character while taking home a 2009 Shorty Award for herself. She is the Founder and President of Big Deal PR and is an active member in the Pacific Northwest’s regional social media circles, founding Portland’s Social Media Club which promotes excellence in the industry.

27. Josh Bernoff- Bernoff knows social technology like few others. As a best-selling author of Businessweek’s Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies (2008), he leverages his acumen developed as a senior researcher at Forrester Research to identify and develop forward-thinking strategies. A frequent columnist for the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, Bernoff writes for several marketing trade publications in addition to various white papers (the latest including a look at competitive strategy in the age of the consumer).

26. Liz Gannes- If there was ever a journalist who ‘got’ social media, its Gaines. Previously writing for GigaOm and covering Silicon Valley, Gannes now serves as Senior Editor with AllThingsDigital and keeps refining her style while bringing readers the latest information from the social web.

25. Lady Gaga- Really? Do we need to explain this one? Gaga’s got nearly 18 million Twitter followers and counting. She’s big… really big. Sure, we could have put her at the number one spot, but that would be redundant. That said, she ranks behind no one in celebrity status on Twitter (and on how she can pull off sporting meat).

24. Tony Hsieh- Author Tony Hsieh has some 2 million Twitter followers. 2 million. Not bad for a CEO, even when you’re steering the mega-liner Zappos. His book, Delivering Happiness, has created something of a cottage industry around itself with speaking engagements, social media campaigns, blogs and numerous employees who help Hsieh take his message of finding happiness on the road (and on a computer or mobile device near you).

23. Kevin Pho, M.D.- It’s tough to be a trailblazer in any industry, let alone in healthcare but Dr. Pho is just that. Considered the leading physician voice in social media today, Pho blogs at his site KevinMD and is a contributor to USA TODAY. He tweets prolifically and passes along the latest healthcare research. He also makes the rounds at healthcare conferences, discussing the ways in which providers can utilize social platforms to connect with and inform patients.

22. Loic Le Meur- Serial entrepreneur and a World Economic Forum ‘Young Global Leader’, Le Meur is a transplanted Frenchman and a Silicon Valley staple whose savvy business skills in the industry make him a budding industry icon. Founded Seesmic (a social media app), he also co-founded the #1 annual tech event in Europe, Le Web, with his wife Geraldine. He is a frequent keynote speaker and a noted innovator in the space.

21. Jay Baer- Business leaders can be stubborn, particularly when it comes to embracing social media where metrics and ROI aren’t gauged exactly the same way as their traditional marketing counterparts. Few have been as successful converting the old mindset to the new as Jay Baer, who has guided Fortune500s in their social media strategic planning as an integral component of their overall business strategy. Baer’s consulting firm, Convince & Convert, offers expertise to clients while his newsletter is up for grabs for anyone interested in ramping up their social presence.